Heaven and Hell… Again!

A short story, written in my native language, came my way today. I don’t usually translate stories for my website, but this one touched my heart too much not to share it with my friends. Therefore, instead of posting my own weekly thought, I decided to post someone else’s thought. And I hope your heart will also be touched by it.

***

Hell’s Real Role

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was so delighted by the light of day when… suddenly he realized that he was dead. He surely remembered this and also the fact that his dog crossed the rainbow’s bridge several years earlier.

“Where does this road go?” he wondered while continuing his walk.

After a while, they arrive near a high fancy stone fence. Looking closer, the man saw that the fence was in fact sculpted in precious stones. Not far away, the fence was interrupted by a gorgeous gate having an arcade form and being inlaid with pearls. The alley behind the gate was also made of gold.

The men’s eyes were so pleased by all that wealth that it seemed almost like a promise for him. He took his dog and rushed towards the gate. There, they noticed another man sitting on a very elegant chair, behind an amazing looking desk.

“Excuse me, where are we?” the man with the dog asked.

“Well, this is Heaven.” the reply instantly came.

“Oh, that is so great! Where can we find some water? The road was hard until now, and we are so thirsty!” the man with the dog asked and in his voice you could sense a huge happiness that finally he was on the right road, and the end of it was revealed in front of his eyes.

“Here you’ll find the best water from all the worlds. Enter and go to that spring.” The gatekeeper smiled while he widely opened the fascinating gate.

The man and his dog began to step onto the other side, when they heard the gatekeeper’s voice, “I’m sorry, but your dog can’t enter.”

“No way! Animals are not allowed here.” the reply came being accompanied by the same nice smile.

The man with the dog thought for a few moments and turned his back to the Heaven’s gates, took his friend and started to walk in the opposite direction.

After another long walk, they found a ruined road and stepped onto it. Soon they saw something that resembled a very poor farm. He thought the people residing on it were probably so poor that they didn’t even have a fence. Only an ugly gate could be seen, and that gate was looking like it never had a lock. Near the gate was a green tree and under it an old man was sitting while he was smiling reading an old manuscript.

The man and his dog were even more thirsty than before, so the man’s question came, “Excuse me, can we receive some water, please?”

“Of course, yes. Enter and go to that fountain. It’s not so beautiful, but the water is clean and fresh.” the old man replied putting away his manuscript.

“Of course, yes,” the old man said. “You’ll find a bowl for your friend, near the fountain.”

Feeling relieved, the man took his dog and entered going straight to the fountain. They drank the best water they ever drank. And it was plenty. When they had enough, they went back to the old man who was still sitting under the green tree.

“What is this place, may I ask?”

“This is Heaven,” the old man replied while still smiling.

“I’m totally confused” the man admitted. Just earlier we took another road, and a gatekeeper told us that that was Heaven.

“Are you talking about the place decorated with gold, pearls, and precious stones? That is Hell.” the answer came.

“But… aren’t you upset that they use the same name to describe their place?”

“Contrary! We are so very happy because they sort out for us those who have the heart to leave their friends when in need.”

***

Well… this is the story… translated and rewritten. I first intended to leave it as is and not add any further words. But… now that I finished it, tears came to my eyes, and lots of questions once again invaded my brain. And when I question in this way, a wondering process suddenly starts.

I wonder now… about Heaven and Hell, about the meaning of life, about perceptions and realities, about lots of other things that we think are real but in fact…

And above all, there are three huge wonderings.

I wonder… what if…

What IF we are the only ones that build fences and gates in our paths?

What IF… we are the only ones that refuse to see how much FREEDOM was in fact given to us?

M.C. Simon is an author, SEO content-writer, blogger, reviewer, project manager, researcher, engineer, happy mother and a beloved wife… which makes her an expert at being a busy person. The passion for studying different subjects and domains has helped her succeed in becoming the content-writer that YOU need. M.C.’s writing muscles were properly trained and she is now addicted to daily workouts at her writing Gym, where she receives the power to lift unlimited weights in several areas of interest.

6 COMMENTS

That is beautiful and resonates both at the dogs as friends level, but around the authenticity of friends. I have a situation eight now where it has been said I am welcome but my furbabies are not. Therefore I am not welcome am I?

I am Journaling about friends thus evening and I was sooooo meant to read this. Thank you.

Yes, it was fantastic. Informitve, responsive, truth & eye opening. Really helps one to think & hopefully take inventory of themselves & their lives. I agree Sarah, that was a great spin, a perspective from the other side is always inspiring and educational to all. Thanks Ladies, I enjoyed the life lesson.

I have rescued many dogs and they like humans usually have to have their hearts won over by their human friend too. Just saying. 🙂

Maybe it will shed more light on the whole story (provide more or different perspectives) to look not at the “man and his dog” in physical form but two levels of a soul, since man’s physical being is also considered an animal (his level of thinking as well) here in this world, and after all, they both had in this story crossed the “bridge.”

There is what the heart is feeling in a particular moment (with circumstances surrounding a human friend(s) and or a dog(s)) and us reacting to the “forces at play” upon us… it, life, appears to be this kind of game to see how much we can bring joy and contentment to the other with out hurting the other as they really are our mirror.

Animals in this world (both 2 legged and all others) are a great measuring stick to see how much one can give or bring joy to people here in this world. 🙂